


Father's Day Underground

by breejah



Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Family, Father's Day, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 16:16:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14957924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah
Summary: A small one-shot ode to all the dad types, even the non-traditional ones. Happy Father’s Day!





	Father's Day Underground

**A/N: Happy Father’s Day to all the dads, even the non-traditional types. We love you.**

* * *

 

Jareth looked up from the scattered papers at his desk, setting aside his quill with amusement as a small whisper-thin crystal floated into his study. Chuckling, he reached out with his fingers, his magic coaxing the crystal closer, doing his best to ignore the giggles by the door.

“What’s this?” He asked with great aplomb, touching the orb and letting out a real grunt of surprise when glitter exploded all over his person and his papers. “Oh dear,” he finally managed to reply, sputtering a little as he dusted glitter off his face, grinning faintly at the second giggle fit to erupt from the doorway. Sitting on his desk in place of the crystal was a parchment, decorated with juvenile lettering in various colors.

Smiling, he leaned forward and read the parchment.

UR PRESENCE IS REKUESTD IN THE BALL ROOM DADDY – PLEESE HURRY

PS – BRING MOMMY

“Well, I guess I better get to the ballroom, huh? Probably should change first, though.” He commented aloud, grinning as he heard the small pitter-patter of feet take off down the hallway.

Rising slowly, he dropped a crystal and within moments, his study and person was clean once more. The parchment remained and he folded it gently, tucking it into a small drawer on the left side of his desk, where others of the same nature were stored. Running a hand over the contents with a soft smile, he closed it again and moved to the hall.

“Precious?” He called out tentatively, once he reached the doorway to their bedroom, poking his head through the archway.

“Yes?” Sarah called back, tucking her head out of the closet. He laughed, spotting the remnants of glitter in her hair. She rolled her eyes and moved back into the closet.

“They got you too, I see…” He remarked as she let out a soft groan from their shared closet space, muttering something under her breath. He moved to the closet, leaning against the doorframe, amused as he skimmed her curvy form, always appreciative of what he saw, even after five children together. Occasionally, she would be shy towards him when they made love during the day, but he loved everything about her body – even the supposed stretch marks. She earned each of those carrying his young into this world and he treasured them.

“That they did,” she groused, gesturing to him to help her lace the back of her dress. He smiled, moving towards her, laying a small kiss on the nape of her neck as he fastened her clothes. She let out a soft sigh of appreciation and he smiled, looking over at them both in the mirror. Reaching forward and cupping her cheek, he closed his eyes and cast another spell, removing the sparkles of loose glitter from her hair. She smiled, turning, pressing a quick kiss to his lips and taking his hand. “We better go, the letter did say hurry.”

“Any idea what they’re up to?” He asked, watching her shake her head. They strolled slowly down the halls together, making their way towards the castle ballroom, arm in arm.

Jareth reflected as he watched a small smile pull at Sarah’s lips how happy he was. Never expecting to be this content, he paused her outside the double doors and tugged her into his arms, kissing her slowly for several minutes. “I love you,” he murmured against her mouth as she eventually pulled away.

Sarah smiled and cupped his cheek. “I love you, too. Let’s get in there before they tear apart the ballroom.”

Chuckling, they grasped the handles of the ballroom together and tugged the doors open, looking around at what they saw.

Two chairs were laid out in the middle of the ballroom, one decorated pink and the other blue. Across from the two chairs, various tables had been pushed together and decorations strewn around them haphazardly. Sarah stiffened at the mess but Jareth simply chuckled, patting Sarah’s wrist as they settled in their marked chairs – earning a grin on his lips when he tried to settle in the pink chair and a girl’s voice rang out from somewhere in the shadows.

“No, daddy! You’re so silly. That’s mommy’s chair!”

“Oh? Sorry…” He whispered to the shadows, settling in the right one, catching Sarah’s amused stare. Together, they sat down, hand in hand, looking back at the makeshift stage.

Slowly, he saw goblins running every which way – in an eerily quiet manner – and he knew the children had coaxed them into this impromptu play. The children fascinated the goblins and it never ceased to surprise him how they could manage to corral the creatures better than he or Sarah ever could.

The room grew quiet and suddenly, their children came out in various makeshift costumes. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the red book in his oldest son’s hand. They looked back at each other, small smiles tugging on their lips, and they settled in to watch. They were re-enacting the book in how they first met.

Half an hour later, both Jareth and Sarah rose to clap, grinning and laughing at their children’s antics. Slowly, they tugged something up from the floor with the help of several goblins, the banner spelling out something that made Jareth’s voice catch in his throat. He smiled, forcing down the lump in his throat, thanking them softly with a trembling voice.

HAPPY DADDY’S DAY

They moved to help clean up the mess when the children dropped the banner and motioned at them to stay. “No! Don’t move! Not yet! We’ve got one last surprise! Stay right there!”

Blinking slowly, looking back at one another, they sat down with an amused smile, not knowing what to expect. The children turned, so they did too, looking across the ballroom and stilling as they saw a young blonde man of twenty approach the stage. He cleared his throat and gave a strained smile.

“Hey, Jar. Hey, Sarah. So…the kids and I thought you’d like to see this, so um…I’ll totally help clean. And don’t worry, I’m on summer break. I decided not to enroll and earn some cash on the side.” Sarah opened her mouth to object but he waved her off. “I know, I know, I don’t have to work…I want to. Anyways, yeah. So…here goes.”

Toby stepped forward and looked at Jareth directly. He seemed to struggle with what to say, a soft embarrassed laugh escaping past his mouth as he ran a hand through his hair, then finally sobered and started again.

“Several years ago, our parents died. We had no one and you took us in. I was a horrible kid and you were kind to me. I never understood why you were so patient with me, letting me make your life a living hell. You taught me…” His voice cracked as he continued, keeping his gaze steady on Jareth despite a sheen of tears visible in his eyes, “…the value of family. I wasn’t your kid, you didn’t have to do anything with me. You taught me how to ride a bike, even when you didn’t really know what a bike was, just because I wanted to learn to ride one. You helped me in subjects you knew nothing about. You never said anything out of anger or resentment and it made me hate you all the more. When you told me you loved Sarah and wanted to marry my sister…I was horrible but you were kind. You…were everything to me when I had nothing. So thanks…Jareth…for being what I needed. You’re the best father any orphan kid could ask for.”

Jareth sat there, speechless, listening to Toby talk brokenly and with deep emotion what he always knew the boy felt. When Toby finally stopped, stifling a sob, he rose hurriedly and gathered the young man in his arms.

“I love you, kiddo,” he whispered in his hair, smiling when the boy grabbed ahold of him and wrapped his arms tightly around him.

“You too, Jareth.” Toby murmured. He motioned for Sarah and the children to join them and they laughed softly, all wrapping their arms around each other, then slowly falling to the floor in a heap when the goblins – not knowing any better – also joined in on the fun.


End file.
